It’s that time of year again! We all know holiday meals can be stressful, especially for new vegans whose extended families may be accustomed to a turkey on the table. That’s why I’m here to take the stress-work out of the holidays. There are lots of ways to stay calm and enjoy the day.

If you’re having omnivore guests for Thanksgiving, let them discover how delicious a turkey-free Thanksgiving can be by serving a menu of delicious seasonal dishes. I love traditions, so whenever I cook a holiday meal at home, whether for two people or twenty, I like to prepare a big feast with all the trimmings. Here are some tips:

I never debut an untried new dish for company, and I encourage you to do likewise. If you want to make something new to you, plan to make it once before the big day so you know in advance what to expect from a particular recipe. This will help eliminate the stress factor when you make it the second time around, because by then, you’re an expert.

When cooking for non-vegan guests, the menu should include a few familiar dishes. Holidays are not the time to try out that new quinoa-hemp seed dish. If you have some favorite family side dishes, you might want to include them in your menu to provide a familiar touchstone. Familiar favorites such as cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy, can help to quell any anxiety of relatives who may think they’ll starve if they can’t eat meat.

Many traditional holiday recipes (especially the side dishes) can be easily made with plant-based ingredients such as vegetable broth, Earth Balance, and non-dairy milk – and no one will know the differences.

When it comes to a main dish, I suggest featuring a “centerpiece” dish such as a thinly sliced vegan roast or loaf, garnished with roasted vegetables, or perhaps a stuffed squash (or several individual stuffed squash halves) served with a luscious vegan gravy.

If you’re not much for old traditions, make some new ones! Prepare a large pan of lasagna or mac and cheese with a big salad, or go global with an Ethiopian feast or Spanish tapas.

For those occasions when I’m a guest at someone’s home, I always offer to bring something to the dinner table – I usually make a hearty casserole of some kind that can double as a main dish for us but be enjoyed as a side for all the non-vegans who will invariably want a “taste.” If I have time, I also like to bring a vegan dessert, mostly to serve as an ambassador of plant-based food. No omnivore has ever turned down a slice of my pumpkin cheesecake!

Have a particular question? My “Holiday Hotline” is open Just leave your question at the end of this post, and I’ll respond as soon as I can.

In the meantime, here are a few links to help you get through the holidays deliciously (and stress-free).

On Vegan.com, you can find my recipes for two complete Thanksgiving dinner menus: Menu #1 and Menu #2 (each link goes to a different set of recipes.)

On VeganStreet.com, some of my holiday tips (and a recipe) are featured in their All-Star Guide.

For more menu ideas, here are links to some of my favorite holiday recipes from my blog (some traditional and some not!):

If you think you don’t like Brussels sprouts, it may be because you’ve never had them prepared this way. Roasting transforms these tiny orbs into delicious flavor bombs, seasoned with nothing more than salt and pepper and a little olive oil and lemon juice. The walnuts add a delightful crunch. This recipe is from Vegan Without Borders by Robin Robertson (c) 2014, Andrews McMeel Publishing.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside. If the Brussels sprouts are small, leave them whole. If they are on the large side, cut them in half lengthwise. Place the Brussels sprouts in a bowl. Add the oil, salt, and pepper and toss to combine. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven, stir the sprouts so they brown evenly, then sprinkle the walnut pieces among the sprouts. Return the pan to the oven and continue to roast, until the sprouts are crisp and browned on the outside and tender
inside, about 15 minutes longer. Transfer to a bowl and serve hot sprinkled with a little lemon juice.

Variation: For a touch of sweetness, mix in 1/4 to 1/3 cup of sweetened dried cranberries or chopped pitted dates just before serving.

…to best way to promote holiday harmony at the dinner table is to end your meal on a sweet note…..

Chickpeas and kale are two of my favorite everyday ingredients. They’re so nutritious and flavorful, but it’s their versatility that gives them extra points. That’s why the recipe for Chickpea and Kale Sandwich Spread in Nava Atlas’s new book, Plant Power caught my eye. And it’s also why I’m especially happy to share this recipe with you today as part of my friend Nava’s blog tour for Plant Power, her latest book.

In addition to featuring over 150 plant-based recipes, Plant Power also serves as a guide to help transform your life with vegan food. Nava’s easy and delicious recipes, helpful tips, and welcoming voice, along with lovely photos by Hannah Kaminsky, combine to make this a terrific book for new and longtime vegans alike.

I hope all my fellow chickpeas and kale lovers will enjoy this stop on the Plant Power blog tour with this easy and delicious recipe from Nava Atlas.

Combine the kale and carrot in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until the chickpeas are evenly chopped and everything is nicely blended—don’t overprocess; leave the mixture a bit chunky. Transfer to a serving container and serve at once, or cover and refrigerate until needed.

Variation: Use a good handful of baby spinach or arugula in place of the kale.

With a chill in the air and darkness coming earlier, comfort food has been calling my name. Two of my favorite comfort foods are vegan mac and cheese and a nice spicy chili.

I made a batch of quick chili on Sunday — the Three-Bean Pantry Chili from my cookbook, MORE Quick-Fix Vegan. It was soooo good! For last night’s dinner, I whipped up the Mac UnCheesy Bowls from the same book. It was only with the greatest amount of willpower that there are some leftovers of both. So…..guess what’s on the menu for dinner tonight? That’s right:

Chili + Mac UnCheese = Chili Mac!!!

You don’t even need a recipe to make it! Just combine leftover chili with leftover mac n’ cheese in a lightly oiled casserole dish and bake until hot. (You can top this with a little shredded vegan cheese or some crumbled tortilla chips.) If you don’t want to turn on the oven, just heat in a saucepan or even in the microwave.

You can of course use any chili and mac and cheese recipes you like, but I really like the flavor (and speed, and convenience) of the recipes in MORE Quick-Fix Vegan. (thanks to Zsu Dever for the great photos). On the chance that you do not yet have MORE Quick-Fix Vegan (my favorite of all three in the “Quick-Fix” series), I’ll share the recipes with you here. Let me know what you think!

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, reserving half the corn, if using. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through and long enough to cook off any raw taste from the chili powder, 15 to 20 minutes. Add up to 1 cup of water if the chili is too thick. Serve hot, garnished with the remaining corn kernels.

Cook the macaroni in a pot of boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Stir in the broccoli and cook a few minutes longer, until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli is just tender. Drain and return to the pot.
In a food processor or blender, combine the cannellini beans, bell pepper, almond milk, tahini, lemon juice, mustard, nutritional yeast, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, salt, and pepper. Add a dash of cayenne or hot sauce if desired. Process until smooth and well blended. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Add a little more almond milk if the sauce is too thick. Transfer the sauce mixture to the pot containing the cooked pasta and broccoli. Stir gently over low heat to combine and heat through. To serve, divide the mixture into four bowls.

Because my day job is writing cookbooks, you’d think I’d want to relax by reading something non-food related, right? Wrong! My nightstand usually holds a stack of food magazines and cookbooks, that I read like novels.

The latest page-turner I’ve been enjoying is The Vegetarian Flavor Bible, a labor of love written by Karen Page with gorgeous photos by Andrew Dornenburg. Since I was already an avid fan of The Flavor Bible, I knew I’d love this new book dedicated to all flavors vegetarian! Like its predecessor, The Vegetarian Flavor Bible is not a cookbook — it’s all about FLAVOR — specifically flavor pairings of virtually every vegetarian ingredient under the sun. (note: dairy products are also in this book.)

If you’re a “foodie” person, you’ll love The Vegetarian Flavor Bible. It’s an indispensable resource for chefs, food writers, and cookbook authors, but even if you just like to cook, and want a better understanding of flavor dynamics — what combines well and why — you’ll find the information in this book extremely interesting and helpful.

I had the pleasure of attending a multi-course dinner event at Eatonville in DC last week to celebrate The Lusty Vegan by Ayinde Howell and Zoe Eisenberg. The recipes were from the book and the meal was out of this world. The place was packed!

The night before, however, was even better. Ayinde cooked a fantastic meal for us at a friend’s home including his insanely delicious crab cakes made with hearts of palm:

He also made his Devil’s Pot Pie (with a hint of habanero), roasted winter vegetables, and a refreshing kale salad. (I brought the appetizer and dessert!) Here’s a pic of Ayinde in action:

I’m excited to be the first stop on The Lusty Vegan Blog Tour, not just because it’s such a fun (and well-written) book to read; not even because Jon’s company published it; and certainly not because I need dating advice (!). The reason I’m especially excited is because I get to share one of my favorite recipes from the book (and believe me, there are SEVERAL favorites!) – but I especially love the Hearts of Baltimore Crab Cakes, made with hearts of palm. The recipe is easy to make and absolutely captures the texture and flavor of crab cakes. Served with a simple but delicious garlicky dill aioli and lemon wedges, this is definitely a recipe to lust after.

Which brings me conveniently back to the book: With a subtitle of “A Cookbook and Relationship Manifesto for Vegans and the People Who Love Them,” you may think The Lusty Vegan is just for those in the dating game. Think again. The book contains great advice from co-authors Ayinde Howell and Zoe Eisenberg that I found to be applicable to most any relationship dynamic involving vegans and nonvegans, be it friends, family, or colleagues, and of course spouses.

I enjoyed the stories, tips, and anecdotes in the chapters, but I have to say that my favorite part of the book is the recipes. Each chapter closes with a group of recipes (80 in all) that relate to the topic of the specific chapter. Created by chef Ayinde Howell, these fabulous recipes can be savored harmoniously by both vegans and omnivores. Among my favorites are: Cajun Tofu with Dirty Quinoa, Cauliflower Steak with Miso-Rooster Sauce, Polenta Cakes with Chili-Garlic Sauce, Cranberry-Walnut Cinnamon Rolls, North African Lentil Stew with Roasted Yams, and, of course, the Hearts of Baltimore Crab Cakes:

1. Garlicky Dill Aïoli: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well and add salt and pepper to taste. Set in the fridge to keep cool.

2. Crab Cakes: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the hearts of palm and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook until golden brown on all sides. Set aside to cool. Add the celery and peppers and mix well.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over medium-heat heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

4. Remove from the heat, add to the hearts of palm, and mix well. Add the Old Bay seasoning, cornstarch, and mayo.

5. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and mix well. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then shape the mixture into four round patties.

6. Breading: In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs and Old Bay seasoning, stirring to mix. Coat the patties with the breadcrumb mixture and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

7. Heat about 3 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Carefully place the patties in the skillet and cook until golden brown on each side, approximately 2 minutes per side. Watch closely to prevent burning. Transfer the cooked patties to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Serve hot, topped with the aïoli, with lemon wedges on the side.

Bottom line: Whether you want the guilty pleasure of the frank and irreverent relationships talk or Ayinde’s fabulous recipes, you’ll want your own copy of The Lusty Vegan. (Be sure to keep up with the rest of The Lusty Vegan Blog Tour for more recipes,as well as guest posts, interviews, and giveaways.)

After spending a fun Saturday afternoon at a “pick your own” pumpkin patch, I couldn’t resist doing a pumpkin-related post. Today’s recipe is for Savory Pumpkin Bites with Green Chile Aioli (shown above) from the new edition of Vegan Planet. I’ll share the recipe in the minute, but first I thought you might like to see where all the pumpkin picking took place:

And here’s our front porch after festooning it with pumpkins, gourds, and mums:

I love the change of seasons — and I especially love cool autumn weather!

Now here’s that recipe I promised. Hope you enjoy!

Savory Pumpkin Bites with Green Chile Aioli
Pumpkin, walnuts, and sage combine to give these tasty bites a rich depth of flavor. But it’s the accompanying green chile aioli that sends them over the top. From Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson (c) 2014.

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Heat the oil or water in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Uncover, stir in the garlic and sage, and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute longer. Set aside.

2. In a food processor, process the oats to a powder. Add the ground walnuts, pumpkin, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Add the reserved onion mixture and process until well combined. Add additional oat flour or ground walnuts if the mixture is too wet to hold together. Shape the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until firm and the bottoms are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve with the aioli.

Green Chile Aioli
This easy and flavorful aioli is fabulous with the pumpkin bites, but can also be slathered onto sandwiches or used as a dipping sauce for vegetables or baked tofu. From Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson (c) 2014.